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enHeldt: Di Matteo can deliver Schalke successSchalke general manager Horst Heldt is convinced Roberto Di Matteo is the right man to achieve the clubs domestic and European ambitions.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/heldt-di-matteo-can-deliver-schalke-success
The Gelsenkirchen outfit announced that Jens Keller had paid the price for Schalke's inconsistent start to the season, which has seen the team take just eight points from seven matches,when he was dismissed earlier on Tuesday.
Di Matteo was confirmed as the club's new head coach and he will take charge of the team for the first time against Hertha Berlin on October 18.
The Italian has been without a club since he was sacked by Chelsea in November 2012, having led the Premier League side to a UEFA Champions League and FA Cup double in the 2011-12 campaign.
And Heldt believes the club have the right man to deliversuccess to the Veltins-Arena.
"With the coaching change we want to implement a new impetus," he told the club's official website.
"We are firmly convinced that Roberto Di Matteowill stabilisethe team and manageto achieve our goals in the Bundesliga and the Champions League."
Heldt paid tribute to the job Kellerhas done in the near two years he was in charge but stated that the team's failure to maintain a high standard of performance meant a change was necessary.
"We should not forget that Jens Keller has done a good job in the past 22 months," he continued. "He took over the team in December 2012 in a difficult situation, led the team twice in the group stage of the Champions League and each time reached the knockout stage. He deserves the thanks of Schalke.
"[But] the achievements of the team in recent weeks have been repeatedly inferior and fluctuated strongly.
"Also positive approaches, such as the seven points [in the space] of a week with the icing on the cake the derby victory [over Borussia Dortmund] did not show any lasting effect.
"We havelackedthe necessary consistency to achieve our athletic goals. Therefore, we decided to make a change."
news_articleTue, 07 Oct 2014 10:31:18 +0000264720 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comSchalke replace coach Keller with Di MatteoSchalke have sacked head coach Jens Keller after a poor start to their Bundesliga campaign, hiring Roberto Di Matteo to replace him.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/schalke-replace-keller-di-matteo
Keller was promoted to role of head coach in December 2012 after previously working with Schalke's Under-17 team.
The 43-year-old guided the Gelsenkirchen side to fourth place by the end of the 2012-13 campaign, subsequently securing a spot in the UEFA Champions League.
Keller went one better in the previous campaign as Schalke finished third in the Bundesliga and once again ensured a place in Europe's premier competition.
However, Keller has paid the price for an inconsistent start to the season that has seen Schalke take just eight points from seven league matches, while they also exited the DFB-Pokal to Dynamo Dresden in August.
The club have also started with two 1-1 draws in the Champions League, albeit one of those a valuable point at Chelsea, and a 2-1 defeat at Hoffenheim last Saturday has sealed Keller's fate.
In his place comes Di Matteo, who has been without a club since he was dismissed by Chelsea in November 2012.
The 44-year-old, who enjoyed a six-year spell as a player at Stamford Bridge, led the club to arguably their greatest achievement when they defeated Bayern Munich on penalties in the 2012 Champions League final, while he also clinched the FA Cup in the same season.
As well as Chelsea, the Italian has also enjoyed coaching spells with Milton Keynes Dons and West Brom.
news_articleTue, 07 Oct 2014 07:01:28 +0000264623 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comKeller: My Schalke players are shatteredSchalke coach Jens Keller has attributed a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Maribor in the UEFA Champions League to exhaustion.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/keller-my-schalke-players-are-shattered
Asixth game in 17 days for Schalkeended with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar moving them onto two points from two games in Group Gfollowing an impressive 1-1 stalemate away to Chelsea.
That tiring sequence included a hard-fought 2-1 home win over Borussia Dortmund in the Revierderby on Saturday in the Bundesliga.
"We were on our last legs,"said Keller. "The last weeks were very exhausting for my team.
"I cannot blame anyone from my team. They tried everything but the guys are shattered."
Julian Draxler, who returning to the side after missing the derby through suspension, blamed the dropping of points on Schalkeconceding the first goal.
"The sticking point was that we didn't go ahead,"said the playmaker, who recently turned 21.
"After this we conceded a silly counter-attack and afterwards it was very difficult to score against very stubborn opponents.
"We had budgeted for these three points, but we still have four matches to collect enough points."
Chelsea lead Group G on four pointsfollowed by Maribor and Schalke on two apiece and Sporting on one.
Next up for Schalke in the Champions League are back-to-back matches against the Lisbon giants.
news_articleTue, 30 Sep 2014 21:45:28 +0000261433 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comHeldt defends Keller after slow Schalke startSchalke general manager Horst Heldt has backed coach Jens Keller to turn things around after beginning the season with two defeats.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/heldt-defends-keller
After crashing out of the DFB-Pokal with a 2-1 defeat at Dynamo Dresden, Schalke lost by the same scoreline in their Bundesliga curtain-raiser at Hannover on Saturday.
But Heldt has urged against speculation over Keller's future, insisting it is too early to write off the club's season.
"If you lose twice in a row, then it is something you can unfortunately not avoid," he said. "We must stand [together] as Schalke.
"But what is important iswhat is being discussed internally with us. We do not discuss the coach.
"The good thing about football is that a season is not already decided after the first matchday."
Schalke host champions Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga next weekend.
news_articleSun, 24 Aug 2014 09:19:52 +0000237783 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comKeller bemoans huge Schalke disappointmentSchalke coach Jens Keller was scathing of his Bundesliga side after they were surprisingly bundled out of the DFB-Pokal at the first hurdle.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/keller-bemoans-huge-disappointment
Keller's men were a first-round casualty at the hands of third-tier club Dynamo Dresden, losing 2-1 at the Glucksgas Stadion on Monday.
Schalke, who finished third in Germany's top flight last season, were punished for defensive lapses in 24th and 49th minutes as Dresden took control of proceedings.
Justin Eilers stepped up and broke the deadlock from the penalty spot before team-mate Nils Teixeira doubled the home side's lead four minutes into the second half.
Joel Matip pulled a goal back for Schalke with 12 minutes remaining but it mattered little as the five-time champions exited the competition, much to the disappointment of Keller ahead of Saturday's Bundesliga opener at Hannover 96.
"Many players have not come to their power, we had five or six total failures," Kelly told Sky.
"We have to process and analyse some things. This is a huge disappointment today. We played much too slowly and were not powerful enough."
While it was a night to forget for Schalke, it was a successful outing for Dresden, who made a triumphant return to the DFB-Pokal.
Dresden missed the 2013-14 DFB-Pokal campaign for persistent crowd trouble, which came to a head when their supporters set off flares and caused damaged in a second-round clash against Hannover the season prior.
But Dresden marked their return to the cup competition with a shock win.
"The players deserve it, to be celebrated. You should enjoy this moment," Dresden coach Stefan Boger said post-game.
news_articleTue, 19 Aug 2014 05:40:41 +0000234218 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comKeller eyes response to Stuttgart lossJens Keller has called for Schalke to respond immediately and secure a UEFA Champions League spot after Sundays 3-1 loss at Stuttgart.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/keller-eyes-response-stuttgart-loss
Keller's men were well beaten by Huub Stevens' relegation-threatened side at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, a result that marked Schalke's first defeat in eight Bundesliga matches.
Schalke are still in position to return to the Champions League next season and sit third in the table, five points ahead of fifth-placed Wolfsburg.
And Keller is eager to bounce back from the weekend's disappointment with a win over sixth-placed Borussia Monchengladbach, who still harbour slim Champions League hopes, on Sunday.
"We started very well. After 20 minutes, I didn’t feel we could lose the game, but we didn’t push forward urgently enough and lacked the necessary impact," Keller said.
"We've got to clear our heads quickly now and prepare for our home game against Borussia Monchengladbach. We want to seal our Champions League place with a win against Gladbach."
Stuttgart boss Stevens was quick to praise his players for the victory against his former club, which was ensured thanks to a double from Martin Harnik and a Cacau strike.
Stevens' team are now four points clear of the relegation play-off spot with just three games to play, but the manager insists that survival is far from secure yet.
"I've got to compliment my team on their commitment and willpower," Stevens said.
"Attractive football isn't so important when you're in our situation - points are much more vital. Winning was a crucial step for us, but nothing more than that."
news_articleMon, 21 Apr 2014 08:33:00 +0000157554 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comKeller wary of unlucky StuttgartSchalke coach Jens Keller expects a Stuttgart side who he feels have been unlucky this season to trouble his team on Sunday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/keller-wary-unlucky-stuttgart
Kellers side appear certain to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, sitting third in the Bundesliga and seven points clear of Bayer Leverkusen.
Huub Stevens Stuttgart are just a point ahead of the relegation play-off place ahead of the clash at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.
Keller is wary of the threat Stuttgart will pose to his team, and said Stevens men were better than to be fighting for their place in the top flight.
I dont think that Stuttgart are near the relegation zone because they dont have enough quality, he told a news conference on Friday.
They have really had a lot of misfortune, when you look at all the matches which theyve lost within the last minutes. In most of these matches theyve been the better team. So more faults appeared, and a lack in concentration.
Its everything but an easy challenge for us, especially as their head coach Huub Stevens will motivate them a lot.
They really need these three points and do have great quality in their squad.
The outing is also a special one for the Stuttgart-born Keller.
The 43-year-old had two stints at the club as a player, and was an assistant and coach at Stuttgart before moving to Schalke.
For me personally its a very special game against Stuttgart, Keller said.
This is the club where I grew up, where I played as a young player and took my first steps as a professional, where I earned my first credits as a coach.
I only grew up four, five kilometres away from there. Of course it is a special game for me. Nevertheless I go there to win because we want to reach our goals. I want to win in Stuttgart.
news_articleFri, 18 Apr 2014 23:42:06 +0000156372 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comKeller bemoans Schalkes first-half showingSchalke coach Jens Keller was disappointed with his sides first-half performance in their 2-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/keller-bemoans-schalkes-first-half-showing
The seven-time Bundesliga champions moved level on points with second-placed Borussia Dortmund thanks to goals from Max Meyer and Jefferson Farfan at the Veltins-Arena on Friday.
Schalke are 10 points clear of Borussia Monchengladbach in third position and in the box seat to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League with four matches to play.
After a goalless opening 45 minutes, Schalke had to wait until the hour mark to break the deadlock - something that did not please Keller.
"I was not satisfied at all in the first half because we did a lot of things wrong," said Keller, who has guided the club to a seven-match unbeaten streak.
"I told my players exactly that at half-time but after that we improved greatly. A lot of respect for that."
Star striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar was back in the starting line-up after overcoming injury but he was unable to cap his return with a goal.
Huntelaar stepped up to take a penalty after Julian Draxler was fouled inside the box by Carlos Zambrano on 66 minutes, however Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp was on hand to deny the Dutchman.
The 30-year-old has now missed four of his last six penalties.
"The chances of him taking another penalty are diminishing," Keller said.
news_articleSat, 12 Apr 2014 00:55:52 +0000152738 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comKeller targets pressure-easing winSchalke coach Jens Keller is eyeing a win over Werder Bremen on Saturday to ease the pressure on his side.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/keller-targets-pressure-easing-win
A five-match unbeaten run in the Bundesliga has Schalke sitting third, six points clear of Bayer Leverkusen with a game in hand.
Victory at the Weserstadion would almost guarantee Kellers team an automatic UEFA Champions League place.
Keller wants to see their run continue, with his side set to be boosted by the return of Kevin-Prince Boateng from suspension.
Were on a bit of a run, he was quoted as saying by the Bundesliga website.
We want to extend that in Bremen, then we can play without any pressure. Its important that we carry on picking up points and if we succeed in that, then well qualify for the Champions League again.
The return of Boateng could be an opportunity for Keller to give teenager Max Meyer a rest, with the midfielder having featured in all bar one of Schalkes seven matches in March.
Bremen welcome back Aaron Hunt, who has announced he will be leaving in the off-season, as they look to pull further clear of the relegation zone.
Coach Robin Dutt, whose team are six points ahead of 16th-placed Nuremberg, said the outgoing forward was still performing well.
Were really going to miss Aaron next year, Dutt said
But I get the feeling his departure is not affecting him in the slightest. He actually seems to be giving it one last push and I was very happy with the way he played in Hannover.
news_articleSat, 05 Apr 2014 01:37:59 +0000149009 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comKeller tips Fahrmann for World Cup berthSchalke head coach Jens Keller has tipped uncapped goalkeeper Ralf Fahrmann to be included in Germanys squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/fahrmann-tipped-world-cup-berth
Fahrmann has usurped the experienced Timo Hildebrand as Schalke's first-choice goalkeeper this season, and a series of impressive displays from the 25-year-old have helped the club up the table.
Schalke have made the most of Bayer Leverkusen's recent woes to move to third, and they sit just one point behind their second-placed rivals Borussia Dortmund.
Fahrmann kept a clean sheet against Dortmund with a string of fine saves in Tuesday's Revierderby and Keller feels he has the capabilities to make Joachim Low's squad for Brazil.
"If you look at how he (Fahrmann) has played in the past few weeks, he's been on a very high level, consistently without mistakes," Keller said.
"He definitely doesn't have to hide behind any goalkeeper, except for Manuel Neuer maybe.
"But these are questions that Joachim Low has to answer, not me, he will have noticed for sure.
"Hans-Dieter Flick (Germany assistant coach) was also present in Real Madrid when he produced a great performance.
"I mean Joachim Low will certainly take a good three goalkeepers with him to Brazil."
Fahrmann will next be in action on Friday when Schalke host Hertha Berlin.
news_articleFri, 28 Mar 2014 13:28:13 +0000145076 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comKeller hints Schalke could move for FirminoSchalke coach Jens Keller has hinted the club could look to make a move for Hoffenheims Brazilian midfielder Roberto Firmino.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/keller-firmino-could-help-us
Firmino has been in fine form this season, scoring 13 goals in 25 Bundesliga appearances.
Having helped Hoffenheim to 10th in the Bundesliga this term, alongside the likes of Kevin Volland and Anthony Modeste, Firmino has caught Keller's eye, with the Schalke boss hinting at an interest.
"Firmino is a good player and could help us," Keller told Sport Bild.
"He is a player of great quality and would certainly be interesting."
Firmino, 22, moved to Hoffenheim in 2011 from Brazilian side Figueirense and has been linked with a host of Europe's top clubs such as Liverpool and Chelsea.
news_articleWed, 26 Mar 2014 16:44:04 +0000144008 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comKeller calls for cool Schalke heads in derbySchalke coach Jens Keller has urged his side to keep their discipline in Tuesdays Revierderby clash with Borussia Dortmund.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/keller-calls-cool-heads
Schalke can leapfrog Jurgen Klopp's side into second place in the Bundesliga with a victory atSignal Iduna Park, where they were 2-1 winners last season.
The Gelsenkirchen club beat Eintracht Braunschweig 3-1 on Saturday to extend their winning run in the league to three games and Keller has urged his side not to get carried away by the occasion when they face Dortmund.
"It's the game that everyone looks forward to," Keller told Schalke's official website.
"But we have to keep a cool head."
Keller also called for his players to seize the moment, but added that Schalke's season will not hinge on the result of Tuesday's eagerly awaited derby clash.
"When you have the opportunity, you want to take it, but the important thing is where you are after 34 matches have been played. Our objective remains a place in the Champions League.
"They're at home and when I see the team our opponents put out despite all the injuries it's to their credit."
news_articleTue, 25 Mar 2014 08:40:01 +0000143314 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comBundesliga Preview: Borussia Dortmund v SchalkeMore than local pride will be on the line when Borussia Dortmund clash with rivals Schalke in the Bundesliga on Tuesday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/bundesliga-preview-borussia-dortmund-v-schalke
The Revierderbyis always significant to both clubs, regardless of their standing in German football.
But the intensity will be ramped up at Signal-Iduna Park on Tuesday, with the fixture crucial to Dortmund and Schalke in their bid to finish second.
Runaway leaders Bayern Munich are highly unlikely to be caught, but second spot is well and truly up for grabs with Jurgen Klopps men just one point ahead of third-placed Schalke.
Dortmund warmed up for the derby with a 3-0 win at Hannover on Saturday, with goals to Mats Hummels, Robert Lewandowski and Marco Reus helping them bounce back from two successive home defeats.
Lewandowskis goal was an outstanding solo effort and the Poland striker says the result has boosted spirits ahead of Schalkes visit.
This win was very, very important as we have picked up a lot of confidence for the derby, he told Dortmunds official website.
Schalke gave only one point less than we do, so its not just the derby itself that motivates us. Its also the battle for second place.
This is a real top match now and we really want to win it. We fared quite well in the last couple of derbieswe will be highly motivated.
Dortmund will also be lifted by the news that club captain Sebastian Kehl signed a one-year contract extension on Sunday.
Schalke also enter the match on the back of a triumph, having toppled Eintracht Braunschweig 3-1 on Saturday.
And although Schalke exited the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday with a 9-2 aggregate defeat against Real Madrid who Dortmund will play in the quarter-finals of the competition coach Jens Keller believes his side are in good shape.
Im really proud of this great team, he told Schalkes official website after their latest win.
The task now is to muster all our strength for the derby. We go to Dortmund with a good feeling - and it looks as if we have no further injuries.
Dortmund won the reverse fixture 3-1 in October, but lost both meetings 2-1 last term.
Both sides have significant injury problems, but Dortmund will be hopeful forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang returns from a muscular injury after missing out on Saturday.
Definitely missing for Dortmund will be long-term absentees Jakub Blaszczykowski and Neven Subotic (both knee) and Ilkay Gundogan (back), while Sven Bender and Marcel Schmelzer (both groin) are also on the sidelines.
Schalke captain Benedikt Howedes (adductor injury) is out for several weeks and fellow defenders Christian Fuchs (knee), Felipe Santana, Atsuto Uchida (both hamstring) and Jan Kirchhoff (ankle) miss out.
The absentees are not limited to defenders either, with midfielders Jefferson Farfan, Marco Hoger and Dennis Aogo (all knee) and Christian Clemens (hip) also battling injuries.
With so many key players missing, the depth of both squads is sure to be tested in one of German footballs biggest fixtures.
news_articleSun, 23 Mar 2014 16:40:23 +0000142456 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comKeller: Fear is not acceptable against RealJens Keller wants his Schalke side to demonstrate bravery in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League last 16 tie with Real Madrid.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/fear-not-acceptable-says-keller
Schalke's hopes of reaching the quarter-finals were effectively ended in Gelsenkirchen three weeks ago as Real romped to a 6-1 triumph.
There would appear to be little more than pride for Schalke to gain when the two teams meet again at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.
However, after seeing Bundesliga rivals Bayer Leverkusen respond well to a first-leg thrashing against Paris Saint-Germain with an improved performance at the second time of asking, Keller is hoping to keep Real in check.
"Bayer Leverkusen played bravely against PSG in Paris (losing 2-1 after a 4-0 defeat on home soil) and we want to do the same," said Keller on Monday.
"We must be realistic; Real Madrid are an amazing team and when you lose 6-1 in the first leg it is not easy to reach the quarter-finals.Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are the strongest teams in the world.
"We have a young team and this match can be a good experience process. We have to do better than in the home match.
"We must be more compact and not let the opponent grow. Fear is not an acceptable word in football. We are going to try to do our best."
Schalke are currently third in the Bundesliga and seeking to secure qualification for next season's Champions League.
Keller is aware a positive result against Real could provide a welcome boost ahead of the team's domestic run-in.
"We want to perform well against Real Madrid. Do that and we will gain confidence for the final Bundesliga games," he added.
Midfielder Roman Neustadter is hopeful he and his team-mates can enjoy the experience of playing in the Bernabeu.
"We had a bad result in the home match but to play here is a great experience for every player," said the 26-year-old.
"This is a step in a young player's evolution. We will try to get a better result. We are professionals and we learned from the home match.
"I do not know if we are going to win but we will play with intensity and enjoy the atmosphere. Each football player knows about Real Madrid. We know how they play and we will try to do our best."
news_articleMon, 17 Mar 2014 18:12:10 +0000139295 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comKeller wants more after Schalke see off AugsburgSchalke coach Jens Keller urged his team not to rest on their laurels after they continued their fine form with a 2-1 win at Augsburg.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/keller-wants-more-schalke
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar's brace saw Schalke to the come-from-behind win at the SGL Arena in Augsburg on Friday.
Back-to-back victories have helped Schalke consolidate their spot in the Bundesliga's top four and Keller wants his side to keep improving.
"We can feel slightly more satisfied now when looking at the table. Two months ago, nobody would have thought we'd be where we are now," he said.
"We also know we can't afford to rest on our laurels now."
Augsburg took a shock fifth-minute lead through Tobias Werner, who capitalised on a defensive mistake to finish clinically into the bottom corner in a one-on-one with Ralf Fahrmann.
The visitors levelled in the 33rd minute as Augsburg goalkeeper Alex Manninger palmed a Kevin-Prince Boateng strike into a dangerous area, and Huntelaar was on hand to tap in.
The prolific Dutchman's second – on 49 minutes – was even easier as he tapped a Sead Kolasinac cutback into an open goal.
Keller said his team struggled to settle away from home and rated them as 'poor' early on.
"It was a hard-fought win. It's never good to fall behind after just five minutes. Augsburg started well, whereas we hadn't settled yet," he said.
"We weren't moving well, weren't distributing the ball well and were generally playing poor football. The equaliser came at the right time."
Augsburg coach Markus Weinzierl, whose team sit sixth, was pleased with his side's display and believes Schalke's individuals made the difference.
"It's a bitter defeat but I think we put in a very good performance," Weinzierl said.
"Ultimately though, we've got to be rewarded for those efforts after 90 minutes but we didn't have the luck we needed to score an equaliser in the closing stages.
"Conceding the equaliser in the 33rd minute was frustrating. After a good start, that goal really put us off our stride, but we found our way back into the game.
"Despite the defeat, our performance will give us greater confidence, because we fought well. At the end of the day, the individual class of the Schalke players was the deciding factor."
news_articleSat, 15 Mar 2014 03:39:41 +0000137978 at http://www.fourfourtwo.com